Child Labor: Youth Minimum Wage

Authored By:
U.S. Department of Labor

People under 20 years of age are not guaranteed a federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. Special rules allow employers to pay employees under 20 years old a lower rate of $4.25 for their first 90 days at the job. Click this link to learn more about the special rules that apply to persons under 20 such as what wage applies when the person turns 20 during his first 90 days of work, whether this lower pay can influence employers to prefer to hire cheaper labor by hiring people under 20, and related discrimination and wage laws.

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